Man refused bail after Downpatrick stabbing incident

Man refused bail after Downpatrick stabbing incident

11 July 2018

A DOWNPATRICK man accused of stabbing another man five times has been refused bail at the High Court in Belfast.

Adam Kerr (22), of Saul Street, was originally accused of attempted murder during a knife attack while out drinking in Downpatrick.

He now faces charges of wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, criminal damage to cupboard doors and common assault to another associate.

During a bail hearing on Monday, a Crown lawyer said Kerr and the alleged victim knew each other.

Prosecutors said a man in his twenties was stabbed multiple times in the chest outside a house last December.

He also sustained a wound to his shoulder and a punctured lung, resulting in him spending nearly a week in hospital.

The court heard a group had been drinking in the town before separating after the pubs closed.

A witness claims one man suffered a facial injury when Kerr kicked a cupboard door off its hinges.

Later, the defendant allegedly emerged from a property and started struggling with another member of their group.

According to the prosecution, Kerr kicked him while he was on the ground before making a number of “jabbing” gestures towards his torso.

Witnesses then realised the man was losing blood and had been seriously injured.

He managed to stagger to another address where an ambulance and police were called.

Although no weapon has been recovered, a prosecutor said one man claims he saw a silver throwing knife near the scene.

Kerr later handed himself in to police, insisting he had been out with friends for a “good night”.

He claimed the man who suffered the knife wounds had been the aggressor after arriving at the house to argue with him.

Kerr said he had no memory of stabbing anyone, but indicated that he had sliced his own finger.

His lawyer revealed that Kerr’s possible defence is that he may claim he had vertigo in a bid to prove no intent was involved.

He also contended that there are issues about whether Kerr intended to inflict the alleged injuries.

“He’s already instructed that there have been difficulties in respect of vertigo and other matters that might have affected his mens rea [liability] at the time of the alleged offence,” the barrister said.

Bail was refused, however, due to the risk of re-offending.

Mr Justice Colton said: “Having regard to the nature of the alleged offences I don’t consider the applicant is an appropriate candidate.”